# What meat \*isn't\* better if it is slow-cooked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409 "2012-03-01T01:08:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![spankthecrumpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@spankthecrumpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spankthecrumpet)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/1 "2012-03-01T01:08:54Z")
This may seem a ridiculous question, and one to which until recently I would have answered “steak, for a start”. But recent experiments in the crumpet household prove that steak slow cooked is better. And the same with more or less anything that we can find. But I, in particular, have no idea what I am talking about. Are there any meats that can only really be enjoyed if cooked rapidly? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/2 "2012-03-01T01:10:24Z")
Salmon, I would think ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/3 "2012-03-01T01:14:05Z")
If by “slow cooked” you mean cooked long and slow for hours on end so the middle is overly done, I would say many steaks (not all, though), pork loin, and chicken breast. Some people like chicken breast and loin cooked for a long time in a slow cooker. I find the texture yucky, no matter how much sauce you try to cover it up with. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/4 "2012-03-01T01:14:08Z")
Chicken breast tends to dry out if slow cooked for too long. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/5 "2012-03-01T01:15:30Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Salmon, I would think The best salmon I have ever had in my life was on the Makah Indian reservation at the northwest tip of the 48 contiguous states, where the cooks built a big fire, filleted whole salmons, and put the salmons, flesh-side in, on stakes facing the fire. It was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![spankthecrumpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@spankthecrumpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spankthecrumpet)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/6 "2012-03-01T01:16:01Z")
(Actually, to answer my own question, I rember not that long ago cooking a smoked sausage sauce in a slow cooker - it turned out absolutely disgusting) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/7 "2012-03-01T01:16:33Z")
> [@spankthecrumpet](#): > > What meat _isn’t_ better if it is slow-cooked? All off them. Without exception all meat tastes better grilled than slow-cooked ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/8 "2012-03-01T01:17:16Z")
Steak and seafood ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/9 "2012-03-01T01:21:51Z")
Steaks? Seriously? Who prefers mushy beef over a beautiful medium-rare porterhouse? If you limit it to the cheapest cuts of beef, I might be with you. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/10 "2012-03-01T01:26:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The best salmon I have ever had in my life was on the Makah Indian reservation at the northwest tip of the 48 contiguous states, where the cooks built a big fire, filleted whole salmons, and put the salmons, flesh-side in, on stakes facing the fire. It was amazing. But did they cook it quickly or slowly? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/11 "2012-03-01T01:28:30Z")
A number of people I trust are convinced that [sous vide](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide) prepared steaks are the finest preparation. I’m not really a steak guy and I’ve never had a sous vide one anyway so I couldn’t say. I’m not sure seafood would work, either. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/12 "2012-03-01T01:40:25Z")
I don’t care what you say, a slow cooked NY strip is a ruined piece of meat. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/13 "2012-03-01T01:51:57Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > All off them. Without exception all meat tastes better grilled than slow-cooked I disagree with this. Brisket tastes better slow cooked or barbecued (slow-cooking with smoke). I would say the same for tough cuts of meat like pork shoulder and chuck, although the grilled versions of those, if sliced really thinly, are pretty darned good eats. And while short ribs are quite nice grilled, they really shine when they are braised. The problem with the lean cuts of meat that don’t have a lot of collagen in them is that slow cooking to a well-done state doesn’t do anything of benefit. A filet, a loin, a breast, etc., just dries out when cooked for very long–it doesn’t get any softer or juicier or anything. ETA: And, to be clear, by slow cooking I mean braising or using a Crockpot or whatever, where you cook low and slow for hours and hours to break down the collagen and soften a piece of meat. I am not including sous vide or similar styles of slow cooking where you don’t cook the meat to 170+ degrees. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/14 "2012-03-01T01:56:10Z")
I’ve never heard of anyone slow cooking bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/15 "2012-03-01T01:56:24Z")
Bacon. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/16 "2012-03-01T02:13:01Z")
I don’t know, some bacon-containing recipes are fairly slow cooked. [Candied bacon](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/candied-bacon-recipe/index.html) and bacon-loaded baked beans come to mine. I particularly enjoy low & slow bacon wrapped, cheeseor sausage stuffed jalapenos on the smoker. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/17 "2012-03-01T02:16:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The best salmon I have ever had in my life was on the Makah Indian reservation at the northwest tip of the 48 contiguous states, where the cooks built a big fire, filleted whole salmons, and put the salmons, flesh-side in, on stakes facing the fire. It was amazing. Yep. Been there and done that. I would not, hoever, consider that slow cooking though. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/18 "2012-03-01T03:42:21Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > All off them. Without exception all meat tastes better grilled than slow-cooked Somebody beat me to it on brisket but I’d love to see your grilled oxtail recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/19 "2012-03-01T03:44:19Z")
Kangaroo. It must be sliced thin (preferably marinated) and cooked for only a minute or two, or it’s tough to the point of inedibility. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/20 "2012-03-01T03:49:15Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > All off them. Without exception all meat tastes better grilled than slow-cooked You will change your mind once you try a smoked Boston butt (shoulder). Barbeque, aka slow-cooked, for up to 6 hours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409.md?page=2)